Republican strategist Scott Jennings had sharp words for a potential 2028 Democratic contender. Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, he dismissed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as a serious figure in the party’s future. Walz, who served as the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, had spoken at a South Carolina event hosted by Rep. James Clyburn.
Jennings didn’t hold back. “Tim Walz is a special mixture of extreme buffoonery and a mean spirit,” he said. “He is not the future of the Democratic Party.” The comment came after Walz called for Democrats to “bully the shit” out of Donald Trump.
Jennings acknowledged Democrats “are for things,” but mocked their stances. “Illegal aliens, boys in girls sports,” he said, listing what he sees as losing cultural issues. He argued that Democrats are “not on the right side of any of the 80/20 issues.”
He did offer praise for Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, calling him a “pretty talented communicator.” Jennings said Moore was “more interesting than some of the radicals,” like Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He implied the party might do better without them.
Walz, meanwhile, used his Clyburn fish fry speech to rally Democrats to fight back harder. “Maybe it’s time for us to be a little meaner,” he said. He described Trump as a bully and urged Democrats to respond aggressively.
Walz framed it as a moral fight. “When it’s a child, you talk to them. When it’s an adult like Donald Trump, you bully the shit out of him,” he said to applause. The Minnesota governor has taken an increasingly confrontational tone.
Earlier this year, Walz joked that Tesla stock declines gave him a “little boost.” He also coined the “weird” label for JD Vance, now Trump’s vice president, during a July interview. His comments have drawn both criticism and attention as Democrats look ahead to 2028.